1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to internal devices and an electronic device containing the internal devices, and more particularly, to an electronic device in which a plurality of internal devices positioned in a respective slot of the electronic device may be located close to each other without thermally affecting each other.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, various kinds of electronic devices have been used world-wide. In many of such electronic devices, various internal devices are included. For example, internal devices such as a CD-ROM drive, a hard disk drive, and a floppy disk drive are included in a main body of a personal computer.
In many personal computers, it is desired that a music CD, WAVE file or MIDI sound source be reproduced with excellent sound quality.
In a conventional personal computer, audio signals output from the main body are amplified by an amplifier provided with a speaker(s). However, since the capacity of the amplifier contained in the speaker is small, there is a limitation on the sound quality and it is difficult to reproduce audio signals recorded in a CD-ROM with satisfactory sound.
Thus, attempts have been made to improve a sound quality by supplying audio signals to a speaker. The signals are amplified by an amplifier having a larger capacity. The amplifier is placed in one of a plurality of slots, for example, a 5-inch bay located in the main body of a personal computer. Thus, no amplifier is contained in a speaker.
However, when such an amplifier is placed in the slot of the main body as an internal device, it is necessary to provide a fan for generating an air flow and lowering the temperature of the device since the amount of heat generated from a power IC contained in the amplifier is large.
Also, in the main tower body of a personal computer, a motherboard on which LSI (large-scale integrated circuits) are mounted, a CD-ROM drive, a hard disk drive, etc., are present. Since the LSI and various ICs have a relatively weak resistance to heat, evacuation fans for evacuating air in the main body and air-intake fans for supplying outside air to the inside of the main body are provided. These fans are positioned so as to generate an appropriate air flow in the main body to lower the temperature.
However, since only the upper slots are usually occupied by the above-mentioned devices the lower slots may be used for other devices purchased at a later time by a user for expansion purposes. The space available between adjacent devices, for instance, the CD-ROM drive and the amplifier, positioned in the upper slots is small.
Accordingly, although the evacuation fans and the air-intake fans are provided in the main body, it is difficult to provide for a sufficient air flow between the CD-ROM drive and the amplifier, and hence there is a danger that both of the internal devices be overheated. Thus, there is a possibility that an abnormal operation will be caused by the computer.